The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1887-12-10
A War Legend.


rounds, under the head Of How
O'Neil Avenged His Brothers Death
After Ten Years 1t could more
truthfully be labelled, How War
Stories are ConeOcted:" :"
Away back in the fifties, when Yale
men were engaged in their rows with
the fire laddies, and not ON the best of
terms with any of the New Haven
population, occurred that memorable
riot, not the only one in the annals of
Yale, that ended in the killing of the
leader of the mob by the students.
The story is short, of absorbing inter-
est, and has often been told, but it had
a sequel, not generally known, and as
dramatic as the romances OF recent fie-
tiOn.
During March, 1854, a pretty Irish
actress Mrs. Harry Grattan Plunkett)
had been winning the hearts of the
students at the old thetare that was
standing ON the corner of Church and
Chapel streets, One night, when quito
crowd of seniors were occupying the
front rows, an Irish jig dancer had
been repeatedly encored by Jealous
claque of his countrymen in the back
seats. The students, anxious for the
play to proceed, and for the reappear-
ance of their goddess, vented their inn
patience with misses. Instantly there
was bad blood between gown and
gown. The crowd in the rear became
insolent, and when at last the perform
ance was over, warned the students
never to enter the place again. Next
evening, however, fifty or sixty stu
dents assembled at the theatre and sat
the performance through. Toward
the end of the evening an alarm of fire
was rung, and presently the chief of
police came in to inform the students
that they would have to fight their
way back to the college through the
threatening crowd that had gathered.
The crisis had come. The townies had
formed solid column of twos. with
locked arms, and filed up the west side
of Chapel street, having on the left the
protection of the houses, and on the
right the hooting multitude. Sud
denly, despite the efforts Of the police,
shower of stones and bricks descend
ed upon the marching body Of students.
Steadily they kept on, carrying their
wounded and deilantly singing col
lege song.
Next to the end of the column fgur-
ed jim Raines. of Tennessee, with
Harry Howlai d on his left. The rear
guard was Jack Sims, of Mississippi,
and these two men of the South, sen-
iors both, had fight after fight with
one after another of the mob, whose
leader was the powerful O'Neil, the
cause of the trouble the night before,
Improving the opportunity when Sims
was engaged with someone else, ONeil
grappled with him. clutched his throat
with one brawny hand. and struck
him on the head with brick in the
other. In the struggle that followed
the Mississippian cried out that lie
would kill his assailant if he were moi
released. O'Neil's reply was tighten
ing of the grip upon his throat, and
Sims knew that he was being choked
to death in that ghastly encounter.
Left behind by the rest of the col
umn. unable to call out, surrounded by
the enemy, and feeling that his life
would soon be gone, what could sins
do? Quick as flash he drew long
dagger and stabbed O'Nei to the heart
The lrishman fell dead. Staggered by
the loss of their leader, the mob re
tired from the attack, aud the students
were safe upon the campus. Thai
night the rioters ragged increasingly
demanding victim for yengeance.ant
il was only by the use of the creates
prudence then and for succeeding day
that the authorities and students pre-
vented renewal of the hostilities.
But the Mississippian, what of him
He had escaped on the moment, but II
the struggle he had lost his hat, il
which his name was written. Assooi
as possible afterward he left college
| and returned to the South. Every on'
had justified what he had done; 1t wa
shown to be clear case of seli-defense
and it was said that the faculty gave
him his degree when his class gradu
ated.
Seven years afterward the war be
tween the States began. and North ant
South confronted one another in arms
Gen. Raines was killed in the battle 0
Murfreesboro. commanding a Tennes
see brigade; Major Sims, the hero 0
the college aflray, ina famous Misslss
ippi regiment, which had enrolled
number of Yale graduates, fought un
hurt through all the campaigns OF tn
army of Northern Virginia. until a
the end of 1864. when darkness hal
stopped the last battle between Sheri
dan and Early, he stood with his com
rades beside camp fire discussing tn
incidents of the day. Presently one 0
them recalled an adventure of thel
youthful days, and something elicite'
from the major a recital of his owl
part in that riot at Yale in 1854. 7
New Haven towny, member OF a FED
eral battery, beside his gun quartz
of mile away, was ordered to try hl
aim ut that campfire. aud as chanc
! would have 1t the first attempt droppe
a round shot there with such preeisio
as take Jack Sims head from his should
ers as cleans as though done with
guillotine. Strange as it may seen
the man who aimed the fatal shot wa
the brother of the man Jack killed l
the college row ten years before lhu
without kuowingit, was O'Neils deaf
avenged. The romantic part OF tn
story came to the knowledge OF tn
New Haveners only few days sine
The Yale incident was, we believ
about as related, The romantic pa
: of the story . is pure romance. Lieu